At OL Park,
Will it be enough for a “little hamstring scare”, this Sunday against Nantes (2-0), to cut short Rayan Cherki’s first lasting state of grace in the professional world? You would really have to not like football to accept such a scenario, as the young Lyon playmaker has been delighting us for two weeks. Having just come out of his summer break, through the extension of his contract desired by John Textor, the international Espoirs scored two goals and two assists in five matches.
With – above all – a load of differences made on the ball, and a compilation of highlights Thursday in Glasgow (1-4) capable of bringing together all generations and sensibilities of football fans. In Cannes like never before, even more so than during his convincing start to 2023 with Laurent Blanc or his precious last spring supersub dynamiter with Pierre Sage, the new Rayan Cherki does everything well, or almost.
“He lets go while maturing”
This Sunday, against FC Nantes clearly distrusting him, the accuracy of his choices was once again as astonishing as his crazy dribbles, like in the 40th minute of play when he mystified Gbamin, 3,000 at a time, Cozza and Zézé, before running into Lafont. Parc OL also chanted his name in unison when he was replaced by Ernest Nuamah in the 65th minute, due to his hamstring discomfort. Usually so divisive among Lyon supporters since his first appearance in Ligue 1 in October 2019, the 21-year-old playmaker is in the process of extinguishing any debate concerning him.
And inevitably, the praises of his teammates rain down after such a series of masterclass. “Rayan, we all know that he has enormous qualities,” says Jordan Veretout. In one-on-one, I have rarely seen a player so comfortable with the ball at his feet. He lets go while maturing. When he has to play with others, he does it, and when he has to make the difference on his own, he knows how to do it too. »
“He was having difficulty with the tactical aspect”
All the difference with the previous, eminently perfectible versions of the young talent from Lyon lies there. “Rayan is in sparkling form,” continues Moussa Niakhaté. When he’s like that, it’s very difficult to stop him. I heard things about him before coming to Lyon but he’s just someone who has an extraordinary mentality, who wants to progress. He is a football lover and it showed this afternoon. »
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Just like on each of his outings since the end of his summer stay in the OL “loft”, which seems to have been beneficial to him, despite the delay in preparation that it is supposed to cause. “In the past, Rayan experienced difficulties with the tactical aspect of the game. The fact that he is in the middle, and no longer stuck to the touchline, allows him to be more free, and that brings out all his qualities,” believes his experienced Argentinian teammate Nicolas Tagliafico.
“It becomes a team player”
Creativity, audacity, vision, sense of dribbling and even altruism… His qualities did not go unnoticed by the opposing coach this Sunday. Asked by 20 MinutesAntoine Kombouaré was in turn very complimentary: “It is clear that today we see a player who is starting to have maturity in his game. We feel that in addition to his significant dazzling performances, he is defensive efforts. He knows the shortcomings he has and he corrects them on the pitch. He becomes a team player.”
So often problematic for the balance of a group in the past, both because of his propensity to take risks/lose balls in dangerous areas and because of his non-involvement in defensive transition, Rayan Cherki has grown up. To the point that despite the multiple offensive poisons at his side, from Lacazette to Fofana via Benrahma, Nuamah and Mikautadze, it was he who had an impact on the composition of the Nantes team.
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“You really need a strong defensive player like Jean-Philippe Gbamin to defend an entire match against a confusing boy like him, who can go in all directions,” confides Antoine Kombouaré. With his individual talent, he may have what it takes to have the career expected of him. » And it is certainly not the “little hamstring scare” announced by Pierre Sage which will undermine this beautiful prospect that we no longer dared hope for.
